Traditional Chinese Medicine Info & Resources

I've had many patients come into my clinic asking this question. TCM is a medical system. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine is not a religion or a faith. You do not need to believe in it for it to work.

Acupuncture works simply because your practitioner knows where to place the needles for your condition and because you rest and relax while the needles promote the movement of energy or qi. Your body is able to use this energy to heal and bring your body into a state of balance and harmony.

It's theorized that the acupuncture points are where the internal meridians or channels of the body rise to connect with the surface of the skin.

You can compare this to the electrical wiring in your home. You don't see it. You don't necessarily know how the electricity is made. You may not know how it gets to where its going but you do know that when you flip the light switch a light will come on in another area of the room.

You can read more on About Acupuncture on my website.

First of all you need to know what Qi is. Qi is our vital energy. This is energy that gives us life and promotes all our bodily functions.

Qi moves our blood. It promotes the flow of our nervous system. It enhances our immunity and does much, much more.

We are born with original Qi. We have only so much of this and when it's exhausted, we die.

During our lifetime, we acquire normal Qi. We get this through the food we eat and drink, the air we breathe and our environment.

Different organ functions may be referred to in regards to their type of Qi.

• Wei Qi or Protective Qi refers to our lungs and immune function.


• Stomach or Digestive Qi refers to our ability to breakdown and assimilate our food.


• and so on...

We all have Qi. It's just a matter of making sure our Qi is in balance and flowing smoothly throughout our bodies.

Acupuncture has been around for a very long time. Enough time for different styles and methodologies to arise in different areas of the world.

Generally speaking, Chinese acupuncture promotes the strong sensation of Qi and the needles are left in for long periods of time. My impression is that the Chinese people do not believe they received a good treatment unless it hurt.

On the opposite end is Japanese acupuncture, where the needles are left in for short period of time with little or no sensation of Qi promoted.

Korean acupuncture tends to focus on the hands and feet with special tiny needles.

Auricular acupuncture treats only the ears. This is frequently used for addictions, to stop smoking and weight loss.

These are the four main styles of acupuncture you are likely to encounter. Most of us will utilize all of these in our practices.

If I were looking for a TCM practitioner, I would want to make sure that they are licensed to practice. Most states require the license to be prominently displayed. You can also check with your states licensing board.

Today, acupuncturists attend graduate school, go through a lengthy internship and have to pass boards before opening a practice. You can check on the status of any acupuncturist's board certifications at: NCCAOM - The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. certifications.

The NCCAOM also has a practitioner look up by zip code, so you can find someone near you. The NCCAOM boards are accepted by most states for licensure.